Biologist (Animal Care)

Smithsonian; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Smithsonian Institution, within the Directorate of Animal Care Sciences at the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, seeks applicants for a position located with the Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Research. Candidates should have a qualifying mix of education and experience in biological sciences, animal care, and research coordination.

Applicants may qualify at GS-07 with one year of specialized experience or at GS-09 with relevant graduate education, or a

Qualifications

• Degree in Biological Sciences, Agriculture, Natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines.
• Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major plus relevant experience or education.

Skills

Biological research

Data collection

Animal care basics

Education

Biological Sciences

Agriculture

Natural resource management

Chemistry

Job description

The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo. This position is located in the Directorate of Animal Care Sciences at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Research (OUSSR), Smithsonian Institution (SI).

Basic Qualifications

• Degree: Biological Sciences, Agriculture, Natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.
• OR
• Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
• Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal Service. For this position, specialized experience is defined as assisting with management, care, and training of a collection of living wild animals in a zoological setting; assisting with various administrative processes; and facilitating research or data collection.
• Or Education: To qualify at the GS-09 grade level based on education, applicants must successfully complete 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.
• Or a Combination: Education and experience may be combined to meet the basic qualifications. For a full explanation of this option please see the Qualification Standards.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.